Battery module that comprises liquid battery and solid battery

Abstract

A battery module includes a first liquid battery and a first solid battery. The first liquid battery is a unit cell. The first solid battery is a unit cell that has a larger volume than a volume of the first liquid battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery module comprising:
 a first liquid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell that has a first surface; and 
 a first solid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell that has a second surface facing the first surface of the first liquid electrolyte battery, 
 wherein an area of the second surface is greater than that of the first surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein the first solid electrolyte battery is disposed in contact with the first liquid electrolyte battery. 
     
     
       3. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first liquid electrolyte battery has a third surface opposite to the first surface, 
 the battery module further comprises a second solid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell that has a fourth surface facing the third surface of the first liquid electrolyte battery, 
 an area of the fourth surface is greater than that of the third surface, and 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery is disposed between the first solid electrolyte battery and the second solid electrolyte battery. 
 
     
     
       4. The battery module according to  claim 3 , wherein the second solid electrolyte battery is disposed in contact with the first liquid electrolyte battery. 
     
     
       5. The battery module according to  claim 3 , further comprising a battery case that accommodates the first liquid electrolyte battery, the first solid electrolyte battery, and the second solid electrolyte battery, wherein:
 the first solid electrolyte battery, the second solid electrolyte battery, and the battery case define a closed space; and 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery is disposed in the closed space. 
 
     
     
       6. The battery module according to  claim 3 , further comprising a battery case having inner surfaces, the battery case accommodating the first liquid electrolyte battery, the first solid electrolyte battery, and the second solid electrolyte battery, wherein:
 the first solid electrolyte battery has at least one side surface that is in contact with at least one of the inner surfaces of the battery case; 
 the second solid electrolyte battery has at least one side surface that is in contact with the at least one of the inner surfaces of the battery case; and 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery is disposed in a closed space enclosed by the second surface of the first solid electrolyte battery, the fourth surface of the second solid electrolyte battery, and the at least one of the inner surfaces of the battery case. 
 
     
     
       7. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first liquid electrolyte battery has: the first surface covered by the second surface of the first solid electrolyte battery; and at least one side surface covered by the second surface of the first solid electrolyte battery. 
 
     
     
       8. The battery module according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third solid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell, wherein
 the first liquid electrolyte battery has: the first surface covered by the second surface of the first solid electrolyte battery; and at least one side surface covered by the third solid electrolyte battery. 
 
     
     
       9. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first liquid electrolyte battery includes an electrolyte solution including an organic substance; 
 the first solid electrolyte battery includes a solid electrolyte; 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery includes no solid electrolyte; and 
 the first solid electrolyte battery includes no electrolyte solution. 
 
     
     
       10. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first solid electrolyte battery has a third surface opposite to the second surface, 
 the battery module further comprises a second liquid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell that has a fourth surface facing the third surface of the first solid electrolyte battery, and 
 the first solid electrolyte battery is disposed between the first liquid electrolyte battery and the second liquid electrolyte battery. 
 
     
     
       11. The battery module according to  claim 10 , wherein the second liquid electrolyte battery is disposed in contact with the first solid electrolyte battery. 
     
     
       12. The battery module according to  claim 10 , wherein an area of the fourth surface of the second liquid electrolyte battery is smaller than that of the third surface of the first solid electrolyte battery. 
     
     
       13. The battery module according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first liquid electrolyte battery includes an electrolyte solution including an organic substance; 
 the first solid electrolyte battery includes a solid electrolyte; 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery includes a smaller amount, in mass, of the solid electrolyte than an amount, in mass, of the solid electrolyte in the first solid electrolyte battery; and 
 the first solid electrolyte battery includes a smaller amount, in mass, of the electrolyte solution than an amount, in mass, of the electrolyte solution in the first liquid electrolyte battery. 
 
     
     
       14. A battery module comprising:
 a plurality of batteries including: 
 a first liquid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; 
 a first solid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell that has a third surface facing the first surface of the first liquid electrolyte battery; and 
 a second solid electrolyte battery, which is a unit cell that has a fourth surface facing the second surface of the first liquid electrolyte battery, wherein 
 an area of the third surface is greater than that of the first surface, 
 an area of the fourth surface is greater than that of the second surface, and 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery is disposed between the first and second solid electrolyte batteries, such that the first and second solid electrolyte batteries form first and second ends of the plurality of batteries. 
 
     
     
       15. The battery module according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the first solid electrolyte battery is disposed in contact with the first liquid electrolyte battery, and 
 the second solid electrolyte battery is disposed in contact with the first liquid electrolyte battery. 
 
     
     
       16. The battery module according to  claim 14 , further comprising a battery case that accommodates the first liquid electrolyte battery, the first solid electrolyte battery, and the second solid electrolyte battery, wherein:
 the first solid electrolyte battery, the second solid electrolyte battery, and the battery case define a closed space; and 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery is disposed in the closed space. 
 
     
     
       17. The battery module according to  claim 14 , further comprising a battery case having inner surfaces, the battery case accommodating the first liquid electrolyte battery, the first solid electrolyte battery, and the second solid electrolyte battery, wherein:
 the first solid electrolyte battery has at least one side surface that is in contact with at least one of the inner surfaces of the battery case; 
 the second solid electrolyte battery has at least one side surface that is in contact with the at least one of the inner surfaces of the battery case; and 
 the first liquid electrolyte battery is disposed in a closed space enclosed by the third surface of the first solid electrolyte battery, the fourth surface of the second solid electrolyte battery, and the at least one of the inner surfaces of the battery case. 
 
     
     
       18. The battery module according to  claim 16 , wherein the first liquid electrolyte battery is not in contact with the battery case.